Apparatus for removably hanging fixtures



Feb. 20, 1962 G. w. PURDY APPARATUS FOR REMOVABLY HANGING FIXTURES Filed Jan. 18, 1960 INVENTOR. GEORGE W. PURDY 6W: fizz aw 0 ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,022,034 APPARATUS FOR REMOVABLY HANGING FIXTURES George W. Purdy, 224- 139th Ave., Laurelton, N.Y.

Filed Jan. 18, 1960, Ser. No. 3,104

2 Claims. (Cl. 248-342) Heretofore the attachment of fixtures, decorations or the like to a plane surface such as a wall or ceiling has een cumbersome in that it required operations such as fastening, screwing, hanging or the like which were often time consuming to accomplish and sometimes resulted in damage to the fixture or plane surface or, upon removal left unsightly holes therein.

The object of my invention is to provide an article of the character described in which fixtures or other desired articles may be removably attached to a plane surface quickly, easily and efiiciently without likelihood of injury to the fixture or surrounding surfaces.

Another object is to provide an article of the character described which is adapted to substantially and automatically close off any gap or hole left by the removal of any fixture, etc. from a ceiling.

Another object is to provide an article of the character described by which the above and other objects can be accomplished as will herein be described.

The present invention comprises an improvement on my coupling forming the subject matter of Patent No. 2,448,548, dated September 7, 1948.

Broadly my invention comprises a fixed female part based in a plane surface, a male part adapted to coact with the said female part in a detachable relationship, means carried by the male part for supporting a fixture attached thereto and a movable element in the female part substantially filling the access thereto when the male part has been disconnected and removed.

it will be understood that when the female part is lo cated horizontally a spring may be placed behind the movable element so that the latter will follow the male part as it is disconnected to fill the access which is done by gravity and vertical arrangement of the female part.

Practical embodiments of my invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 represents in side elevation, disconnected male and female assemblies, partly broken away, the female assembly being fixed in a ceiling.

FIG. 2 represents, in side elevation, partly broken away and partly in section, the movable element of the female assembly in its access filling position where the male member has been disconnected and removed.

FIG. 3 represents, in side elevation, the female assembly used in conjunction with a hung ceiling, together with a plate abutting the ceiling surface.

FIG. 4 represents, in detail side elevation, the spring loaded plunger located in the lower end of the male member shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 represents in detail side elevation the movable element shown in operative relationship with the female member in FIG. 2 and FIG. 6 represents, in side elevation the male and female members separated, the lower end of the latter being located flush with the ceiling surface and FIG. 7 represents a modified form of the socket shown in FIG. 1 in the lower end of the male assembly.

As illustrated in the drawings, my invention comprises the following combination of elements, i.e., a threaded female element 1 is passed through a plate 2 and the ceiling 3 until the flange 4 of female element 1 fits flush in the recess 5 of plate 2. The female element 1 is secured in this position by applying nut 6 to its upward end as shown in FIG. 1, and turning same down against ice the ceiling upper surface to immobilize said element therein. Female element 1 is provided with a bayonet slot 7 to receive a lug 8 on a male member to be described below. Said element is further slotted at 9 to slidably recive a pin 10 on a plunger 11 vertically movable in element 1 as viewed in FIG. 1, it being understood that the slot 9 runs entirely through element 1 and guides both ends of the pin 10 when the plunger is caused to move.

It will be noted that the element 24 may be threaded into the female element 1 at its upper end in order to hang the said female assembly either vertically or horizontally.

It will be understood that the female element with its related parts are described above are installed in the ceiling or other desirable location and comprise what is known as the female assembly of my invention adapted for cooperation with the following described male assembly.

The latter comprises a barrel 12 carrying the lug 8 and threaded at its lower end (see FIG. 1) and being furnished with a slidable collar 13 which is urged in one direction by spring 14 and is used to compress said spring during connection with and disconnection from the female assembly. Part of this operable collar comprises a locking tongue 15 adapted to enter the outer section of bayonet slot 7 when the male and female assemblies are connected.

The parts described in the preceding paragraph are similar to those in the male member of my Patent No. 2,448,548 and are adapted for similar operation.

Following vertically down the structure shown in FIG. 1 it will be seen that a locknut 16 screwed on barrel 12 holds against a hollow nut 17 provided with a curved recess 18 at its lower end, said recess being suitable to accommodate the lower section of a ball ended stud 19. In the hollow nut 17 a spring 20 is sealed so as to longitudinally actuate a plunger 21, the lower end of said plunger being slightly recessed to take the head of ball ended stud 19 to hold same in the desired position to which it may have been swung manually.

It will be understood that this ball ended stud is thus arranged to act as a universal joint and fixtures, lights, decorations or the like may be hung on said stud as desired.

The coupling of the male and female assemblies is accomplished by inserting lug 8 on male member barrel 12 into bayonet slot 7push and turn to the right to seat the lug. This operation causes the plunger 11 to be pushed upwardly or in the event that the female element is located in a horizontal position longitudinally of said element. Spring 14 urges collar 13 so that tongue 15 enters slot 7. To disconnect the assemblies, collar 13 is pulled back against spring 14, to disengage tongue 15,

. barrel 12 turned left and lug 8 thereby disengaged from bayonet slot 7.

When the assemblies are being disengaged plunger 11 follows barrel 12 to the bottom of female element 1 and substantially closes off the hole or access thereto, thus largely eliminating from sight the holes in members retained in the ceiling.

Plunger 11 is spring biased when the female assembly is located in a horizontal or off vertical plane in order that the plunger may close the access due to the action of the spring as it will do by gravity when the female assembly is hung vertically.

It will be noted from the foregoing that I have provided a practical means for removably hanging fixtures, decorations or the like on any desired surface which permits same to be moved to and held at a desired angle.

Since it is evident that various changes may be made in the construction, form and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit and scope of my ,ini/ention, I do not intend to be limited to the particular embodiment herein shown and described except as set forth in the following claims.

What I claim is: V

. l. The combination which includes, a partially threaded female element having internal and external threads,

means for supporting said female element from a structural element, said means including said internal threads, at cutout wall of said female element, a male member adapted for positively locked connection with said female member, means on said male member adapted for lock- 2. The combination according to claim 1 in which said female element consists of a single piece open at both ends to receive the supporting means and male member and said male member comprises a barrel furnished with a spring biased collar'and at least one locking tongue for engaging the cutout Wall of said female member when the male and female elements'are substantially engaged.

References Cited in the file this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 492,015 Hines Feb. 21, 1893 1,800,797 Hoople Apr. 14, 1931 2,448,548 Purdy Sept. 7, 1948 2,601,088 Burgess June 17, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS France Aug. 23, 1950 

